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Mr J Thompson
Migration and Visa Department Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Clive House, Petty France
LONDON
SW1
HKC345/1
Date
20 November 1990
RECE
22 NOV 1990
INDEX
Dear Jack
42
22.
VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENT:
UK/AUSTRIA
1. am sorry not to have responded earlier to Mr Stephenson's undated plea for reactions to his note of 28 August. That note had attached to it a copy of Mr Ritchie's note of 21 March and I had not understood Mr Stephenson to be seeking further comment from us.
Having looked at Mr Ritchie's note again, I can confirm that it continues to reflect our position.
2.
To recap, we think the normal approach in updating visa abolition agreements should be to avoid extending their scope; and we understand that FCO's general policy is to leave it to dependent territories to negotiate their own agreements. These principles would point to option (c) of Mr Stephenson's note of 28 August.
3.
However, in view of HMG's concern to promote confidence in Hong Kong and of the representations which FCO has already made to the Austrian Government on behalf of Hong Kong there does seem to be a case for including Hong Kong in
in the scope of the renegotiated agreement with Austria. This would imply that Austria would not require visas of British nationals who have right of abode in or readmission to Hong Kong (in particular Hong Kong BDTCs and BNOS) and that Austrians would not require visas to travel to Hong Kong.
4.
It is, of course, for FCO to establish whether this is what the Hong Kong Government wishes. And you will also need to consider whether such a distinction between Hong Kong and other dependent territories would cause offence to them.
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